At this month’s computer user group meeting, I used many of the articles, tips and videos I have written over the years to highlight how any computer user can start making quicker and better use of the Internet.
Before I delve into specifics on this topic, watching and reading this tip title 7 ways to become a better web surfer, will yield you the greatest benefit if you read nothing else on this page. Do it! Now!
First and foremost, it is important to use a capable and safe web browser (the program used to view web sites). My recommendation is to use only Mozilla Firefox or Google Chrome. I currently use both, but prefer Google Chrome more and more every day because of its speed. Internet Explorer, MSN, and AOL are simply too slow and out dated to be used effectively in today’s fast paced and content rich web.
Clicking here will get you a list of all my Firefox articles and tips, but I would suggest starting with this one for a quick overview of this flexible, safe and customizable browser. You can watch my Google Chrome overview here. Take some time to read through these tips and watch the videos…you will benefit immediately.
After selecting a decent browser, the next skill you must learn is how to use tabs. Tabs started with the Opera browser years ago, but didn’t catch on in a big way until Firefox was released 4-5 years ago. Watch my tip to learn how to take advantage of a skill that you won’t know how you did without…tabbed browsing. Also, if you use a mouse with a scroll wheel, that wheel acts a button as well as helps you scroll. Using the scroll wheel button makes using tabs and searching the web even quicker.
This leads us to searching the web. Many search engines still exist on the Internet, but let’s face it, Google is king. Google makes searching fast, easy, and almost always finds exactly what you are looking for on the first try. Add news, image, blog, shopping, map searching and more to the mix and it’s hard to justify searching with any other search provider. When searching the web be sure to include as many of your search terms or phrases as possible. If you need to have two words exactly in a certain order, put quotations around them. For more tips, read my Successful Searching of the Internet. These days, it also pays to know how to interpret search results…and for that I have provided yet another video tip for you to enjoy and learn from right here.
Keep in mind also that almost all commercial web sites and blogs have built-in search engines that will help you unlock the information found within their sites.
After you find the information you want, make sure you can get back to it quickly by using Bookmarks (favorites). Then make sure you backup those bookmarks up so you don’t lose them when you switch computers or if your computer crashes. Learn how to give yourself 1-click access to your most used web sites. Google Chrome and Firefox do it best.
Use these tools and techniques to help you learn to use the web more and more to your advantage while at the same time consuming less time. Do you have any favorite ways to surf the web or tips that others can benefit from here at HelpMeRick.com? If yes, leave a comment below!
